Saw Venables kicked 4 this week against East Freo. He doing enough to sneak in as a half forward/midfield rotation? Not big numbers at all through the season but coming off four goals is probably the time where you would like to debut someone

McInnes certainly did enough to persevere with.It's unlikely to happen but I would be happy to try Venables as suggested, maybe for Hill.

It doesn't look like anyone will come straight back in from the injured list so that won't be an issue for a couple of weeks when Cripps will be back and Rioli might have had a couple of WAFL runs. Don't know if Partington will come back via WAFL or could be used as suggested.

Redden has started to show a bit of his 'extraction man' capability. His biggest problem is that that role is already taken. Can we afford Priddis/Redden in the same team?

2017 sponsor of #5 - Brad (Mr Reliable) Sheppard. 25yo, 100+ games and counting.2017 sponsor of #6 - Elliot (how good could he be) Yeo. Only 23 and looking to hit 100 career games in 2017.2017 sponsor of #23 - Lewis (we need this excitement) Jetta. 27yo and heading for 150 career games.2017 sponsor of #30 - Jackson (he's too good to be only 21) Nelson. 21yo, pick #51 in 2014, a bonus pickup.

Time Venables was exposed to the higher level, think we can cover Butler without losing much down back.

B : Wellingham - Barrass - YeoHB : Hurn - McGovern - Sheppard

Would that have an impact on being able to free up Yeo to play through the middle? Or potentially Hurn/Shep pushing up the ground. I can't see Butler being dropped, despite not setting the world on fire. Hill had an average game.

I'm all for continuing with Duggan, very promising player. Despite putting on some KGs in the off season though he still seems undersize and get's pushed off the ball too easily. I wouldn't be surprised to see him dropped down the track for another youngster to get a crack.

MrWoollie wrote:Don't know if Partington will come back via WAFL or could be used as suggested.

Partington played for EP. Racked up a lazy 28 touches.

Jetta only had 16 so he won't be back. He had that big 39 game and hasn't done jack since.

Providing we had no injuries I think we will go unchanged.

Mutimer is starting to settle in now. A couple more weeks and Venables might start to push. Would love to see Partington though.

As soon as Cripps is ready (could be this week), Mutimer will go out. He looks very good and our depth is improving significantly. We have Partington on the verge of selection and Venables showing some real class at EP. With Petrie and Cripps ready to return within the next week or so, things are looking healthier.

I noticed Mackenzie played a forward/ruck role on the weekend. It is good that we value him to the extent that, although the game has gone past him as a KPD, we are looking at ways that he can be of greater value to the team.

It seems to me that the way to beat Essendon is not so much , who we pick , so long as those that are selected give 100% for 100 mins.Essendon don't appear to have the match fitness to play a full game , and if we have any periods of the game where we switch off ( which we seem to do too often ) it will allow them to find a way to get up .

aquila audax wrote:It seems to me that the way to beat Essendon is not so much , who we pick , so long as those that are selected give 100% for 100 mins.Essendon don't appear to have the match fitness to play a full game , and if we have any periods of the game where we switch off ( which we seem to do too often ) it will allow them to find a way to get up .

We need to watch Green. He used to kill us when he played at Brisbane.

Time Venables was exposed to the higher level, think we can cover Butler without losing much down back.

B : Wellingham - Barrass - YeoHB : Hurn - McGovern - Sheppard

Would that have an impact on being able to free up Yeo to play through the middle? Or potentially Hurn/Shep pushing up the ground. I can't see Butler being dropped, despite not setting the world on fire. Hill had an average game.

I'm all for continuing with Duggan, very promising player. Despite putting on some KGs in the off season though he still seems undersize and get's pushed off the ball too easily. I wouldn't be surprised to see him dropped down the track for another youngster to get a crack.

I think any changes this week will be on balance.

Very minimal impact if any. Butler is only used as an outlet kick under extreme circumstances. He doesn't win his own ball, doesn't take any contested marks and only 9 disposals for the game. Mitchell is dropping back in defence for the majority of the game as is Masten. Mutimer could use his pace down back and Nelson will probably take his position after the bye. I just think it's important to get game time into Venables now rather than leaving him in the WAFL and waiting for an injury.